Chapter 12

For the past few days Akari had been racking her brain over the Grille Ausf H and wanted to know just who was involved with that tank. She knew that Blake Abernathy had not brought any Grille's with his team, so someone else must have brought it, but why? That was the question, and it was a question Akari would find the answer to.

Akari told Chika to follow her on foot to the south, where there was a lesser association presence, so they could sneak across No Mans Land and get passed the patrolling M60's. It was easier then she thought and now all she needed was find some trace of the Grille and figure out who decided to smuggle it on the island and learn if Blake Abernathy didn't know about it.

That was what led her to her current predicament. She and Chika got past No Mans Land and made their way towards where she thought they would find some clue as to the Grille, however Blake Abernathy thought the same. Blake and his Captain Faun had also made their way towards where they saw the tank and figured they could find a clue there. When Blake pushed passed several bushes, into a small clearing, there the two were, standing over tank tracks in the soil. Akari and Chika turned to see Blake coming out of the bush, Faun right behind him, and the four froze.

The staring contest would be legendary if it was official, but the four, being the veterans of their respective sport, as well as respected members of their affiliations, allowed cooler heads to prevail. Questions were asked and answers given.

"So you're aware we didn't bring along any Grille tanks with our retinue?" Blake asked the woman.

"Yes. All schools, as well as the Federation and Association, tanks were put on public lists available to everyone. I like to know my enemy before facing them." Akari said. Blake nodded in response.

"And I take it you also want to know just who else might be on the island?" He asked. Akari nodded before responding.

"It doesn't give us any tactical advantage, but I want to beat you fair and square Colonel." Akari said.

Blake sighed to himself, quietly glad that he could have such a civil conversation with the Commander of the Federations forces. Though now he knew that she to was looking into the mysterious tank that seemed to want to cause trouble.

"What did you manage to find about the Grille?" Blake asked. Akari was surprised at the question but gave an answer anyway.

"Nothing except these tracks here. We thought we could find some trail of them here." Akari said. Blake nodded before answering.

"Then if we follow the tracks we may find where these mysterious people are hiding out." Blake said surprising everyone present.

"Together?" Akari asked. "Why would you want us to go with you?"

"Why not? Four heads are better than two. Besides its like you said. You want to beat me fair and square and if people are meddling in our match, then I want them gone." Blake stated. Akari blinked for a minute before sighing with a smile.

"Very well Mr. Abernathy. We'll help." Akari said holding her hand out to which Blake took and shook it. "Now lets start by following those tracks."

Edward Hill looked across the barren waste that had become No Mans Land. Towards her camp. The flag of Kuromorimine flying, directed north with the cold wind coming from the Mountains to the south. Uncle Sam had chosen to hold off Kuromorimine's forces with the hope that it would buy time for Johnathon to find some way to break the stalemate that had swept up across the island. The only place that was still in constant fighting was Hoja City itself. Davis's complete scorched earth tactics in finding the Commander of St. Gloriana had caused more problems then it was worth. So much so that Johnathon had to go down to the city and force him to stop his attacks, even with word of one of Davis's guys deserting and fleeing to Homedale.

Homedale. Now that name brought up some feelings. Word was that Commander Moose, and his fellows, had defended the town and captured several of the Japanese High Schools teams. Commanders Ezio and August of Los Angeles and South Texas were both there, as well as their whole teams. Now fighting near the center of the island had ceased to exist, and despite the commands from Johnathon, Commander Moose just didn't send out any of his people to start fights. They were just patrolling the mile wide radius around the town. Homedale was refusing to fight.

"Ed!" Edward heard the voice of Adam, the Tank Commander of Uncle Sams loaned Abrams tank from the U.S. Army, as he ran up to him, a letter in hand.

"Whats the word?" Edward asked as he took the letter.

"Davis went against Jonathan's orders, he's still attacking St. Gloriana and Ooarai in Hoja. Austin got into another fight with that girl from Pravda, Rivers and Montana have stretched both Saunders and themselves to thin, and word is that Colonel Abernathy is missing!" Adam reported catching Edward off guard.

"What do you mean missing?" Edward asked regarding Abernathy.

"There was an incident up at his position. Some tank opened fire against his orders, and he believes its someone who isn't supposed to be here. He's gone to find it, so fighting all across the line had halted." Adam answered. Edward groaned before resuming his gaze at the Kuromorimine camp.

"Great. Right when we were about to launch a major offensive." Edward said himself thinking about his friends. Davis was never like this, going so gun-ho and destroying everything in his path, Rivers was always eccentric and had a temper, but he never acted out like this. Hans normally had a good handle on his crew so why was Austin getting into fights with one of Pravda's girls so often? And what the hell was Abernathy doing hunting down some potential rogue tank himself? Didn't he have guys for that? His mind only found its way back to the woman across the stretch of barren land. "Just what are you up to woman?"

Maho sighed. The news from Hoja City wasn't good. Miho had been sending regular reports and the developments scared her. Commander Davis actively hunting for Darjeeling, which put enormous pressure and anxiety on the girl, which only worsened when one of her girls, Rukuriri, disappeared, the three minor schools lost at Homedale and were captured, Kay was stretched thin, Pravda couldn't take the mountains, and now Commander Akari is missing. What happened to the yearlong match that was supposed to be their decisive victory and then dismantlement of American Tankery?

"What are you up to?" Maho asked herself, focusing on the map that sat on the table in front of her. Her words, spoken for herself, also caught the attention of another.

"Something wrong Commander?" Erika asked. Maho looked out of her tent and gazed over No Mans Land at the encampment of Uncle Sam. Commander Edward was over there, and she remembered how angry she felt when she first encountered him on the field of battle.

"Nothing Erika. Just thinking to myself is all." Maho said.

"About the game?" Erika asked.

"That, and how things have only gone downhill since we got here." Maho said thinking about the reasoning she was here in the first place. "Are we really doing the right thing by trying to take Tankery away from the Americans?"

Erika was surprised Maho of all people was questioning their reasoning for being here, since she was the one to fully support her mothers wants in the matter.

"I think that things didn't go how the Federation expected, nor wanted." Erika said. "So we just have to make do with what we can."

"Maybe. But something just doesn't feel right." Maho said turning her gaze to look up at the sky. The sun was setting, and some stars were now visible to the naked eye. "I feel like we're missing something, and that Commander Edward has information on it."

Blake, Akari, Faun, and Chika followed the tracks for over a mile before they came across what seemed to be an old-World War II era bunker. Parked outside, and hidden well to the untrained eye, was a German Grille Ausf H. Blake frowned as he motioned his hand for the four of them to move up. He stalked his way forward and found the entrance near to the Grille tank. Inside the stone entrance were a flight of stairs, leading down into a lower level of the bunker. Slowly Blake made his way down and into the darkness.

Pure darkness was the sight below. No lights, torches, lanterns, nothing. Just a cold chill and a sense of uncertainty. The stone walls kept going even after Blake made it down the last stair, further into the dark he felt himself move.

His hand, moving across the stone wall as he walked, suddenly touched metal. He felt around, finding a hinge he moved his hand down and up. Two more hinges on the right side of the metal, and to the left, right where he thought it would be, a door handle. He felt around some more and felt nothing else, no lock so he pulled the handle down and pulled the door open, revealing light and his eyes were greeted by the sight of an operations center. Several tables laid in the middle of the room, littered with papers and computers.

Blake walked into the room, Akari behind him, and he stood in front of one of the tables. Envelopes filled with papers, maps strewed across the wooden tables, and pictures. Of the students. Shots taken from far away, taken by a highly powerful camera, maybe even a longer lens for long distance photography. Edward Hill, his face marked with a red check mark. Maho Nishizumi with the same red check mark. Rivers Pines, Davis Brown, Jonathan Crease, red check marks, Darjeeling, Katyusha, Kay, marked. Miho Nishizumi, attached to her picture was a paper that simply had the words, Working Progress. What that means Blake didn't know, but he would be dammed if someone was hurting the kids.

Akari, taking notice of the pictures, decided to pick up one of the island maps adorning the tabletop. Red X marks in several places in all directions with few red check marks in certain ones. Then there was a large red circle drawn around the near center of the island. Right where Homedale was supposed to be. The circle was attacked to a line that was also attached to the word, Problem. Homedale was where the minor schools had fought and where they were currently staying. What was the interest with them? Or more appropriately, who was interested in them?

Akari turned her attention to one of the computers. It was on, and the only icon on the desktop was a symbol for a chat function. She grabbed the mouse and clicked the icon bringing up a chat message. There was no exchanges between this computer and whoever was on the receiving end, or at least there wasn't any now. Akari shook her head and found the log history and clicked it. Lo and behold, detailed messages about how the battles were going on the island. Messages on how the schools were fighting it out even harder now. Messages on how the owners of these computers interfered in the match. One well placed shot in the snow started a small avalanche meant to cause confusion upon Pravda and Uncle Sam. One well placed shot into the front of S.G's Churchill caused whoever was the gunner to accidently use the machine gun, causing one of Virginia's boys to be wounded. A well-placed shot into the front of a Federation Challenger tank to cause more disgruntlement between the Federation and Association teams. Akari knew for sure now, whoever these people were, they were interfering with the game and risking the lives of the students here.

"Hey, over here!" Akari and Blake turned to see Faun and Chika bringing a man, tied and with a bag over his head, towards them. They sat him down into a chair, undid his binds and took off the bag to reveal a man in his late twenties with sandy brown hair. He looked tired and his face was beaten in places.

"Are you ok?" Blake asked the man. "I'm Blake Abernathy, we're going to help you."

The man's eyes opened when Blake said his name. He looked up at him and spoke.

"Abernathy? Colonel Abernathy?" The man said. Blake nodded his head, and the man sighed. "I'm Alan Park. Sent before next supply ship. News from Mr. Backer, needed to talk to you. Brought radio but knocked out and beaten."

The now identified Alan Park spoke with a raspy hurt voice. He was beaten bad, and Blake didn't have any medicine to help him now.

"What was Backers message?" Blake asked.

"Parents of students wanted to talk to them. Mr. Backer agreed, but also a warning. People interfering with match. Kennedy Morrison, ring leader." Alan said his voice straining.

"Just hold on Alan. We'll get you help soon." Blake said before looking towards Faun. "Get top side and call for evac, tell them to bring medical!"

Faun ran towards the door and bolted up the stairs. Akari turned to look back at the tables and then looked at Chika before speaking.

"Go grab the pictures, maps, and then download the chat logs from the computer. We'll need the evidence." Chika nodded and moved to the table to get to work. Blake and Akari stayed besides Alan and helped support him as best they could. This young man was beaten and abused for who knows how long, and he was still able to give his message to Colonel Abernathy. Akari, mentally chastising herself, couldn't help but feel some form of respect for this man.

A noise. A scruff from a boot. The tugging of twine. Blake turned and in darkness of the far corner stood a man, dressed in all black from head to toe, his head covered in a hood and his face by a mask, his eyes however visible. The man lifted his arms, and the light reflected off the tip of an arrow. The man was holding a bow, and it was aimed right at Chika.

"Down!" Blake yelled as he sprinted his fastest he ever had and tackled Chika to the floor just as the man loosed the arrow. A loud impact as the arrow impeded itself within one of the stone pillars in the bunker. Blake grabbed a piece of stone from the floor and chucked it at the archer forcing him into cover again. "Get Alan out of here!"

Akari heard Blake yell at her. Whoever shot that arrow attempted to kill Chika, so it was safe to assume he would be willing to try to kill her as well. She reached her arms around the beaten man and lifted him up as best she could. Alan, for his part, knew what was going on and forced his feet to work. The two quickly made their way to the hall and moved as fast as they could to the stairs.

Blake and Chika had gotten up from the floor and hid behind one of the stone pillars, another piece of stone in Blakes hand. Chika, despite her near-death experience, held her emotions under control and was aware of what panicking would cause.

Blake peeked from behind the pillar and saw the archer, a second arrow knocked in his bow, aimed at his life saving stone pillar. The piece of stone in his hand would not make it to the archer in time before he loosed his second arrow, but Blake knew he needed a plan. That plan came when he looked ahead of him. The wooden tables. They would have to be enough to at least provide some cover from the arrows.

"You got the evidence?" Blake whispered to Chika who nodded to confirm. "The tables will help us out of here."

Chika took all the evidence she had and put it into a bag on the floor. She handed the bag to Blake, who tossed it into the open causing the archer to shoot his arrow through it. the arrow went through the bag and into the wall on the far side allowing Chika to run to the tables and for Blake to through his stone at the archer.

The archer ducked behind cover as the stone hit the pillar and Blake turned and ran behind the now over turned table Chika was using as cover. Quickly they lifted the table enough to move and use it to protect themselves from the archer. They moved fast, stopping only just so Chika could grab the bag of papers and photos. An arrow ripped through the table and clattered onto the floor, before they started moving again. A second arrow ripped through nearly clipping Blake's leg. A third arrow did clip his arm but he still walked towards the hall and when they reached it Blake quickly threw a third stone at the archer causing enough of a distraction so He and Chika could run down the hallway and towards the stairs.

The sounds of three sets of running feet were heard but Blake and Chika made it up to the surface and sprinted for the cover of the trees. The archer reached the surface seconds after them and raised another arrow to be shot, aimed right for Blake's spine. To the archers right came a body chuck from Captain Faun, tackling the man to the ground, the arrow flying wild, and the bow dropping to the ground. The last thing the archer saw was Fauns fist hitting him on the side of the head knocking him into unconsciousness.

"Faun! You got him!?" Blake yelled from behind a tree.

"He's out cold!" Faun yelled back.

"And what of Akari and Alan!?" Blake said coming out of the trees.

"Behind the Grille." Faun said as Akari came into view and waved.

At this time, one of Blake's M60 Pattons arrived on scene with the crew jumping out to aid where they could.

"Colonel Abernathy! You ok!?" Asked the tank commander.

"I'm fine. Tie that one up and lets get back to HQ." Blake said pointing towards the unconscious archer.

"What about the women?" Asked the tank commander.

"They'll come with us. Not as prisoners but guests. There are some revelations we need to discuss." Blake said as he helped Akari load the wounded Alan onto the Patton. The crews Driver and Loader tied up the archer and loaded him onto the tank as well before taking their stations. The tank commander fell into place and then Chika and Faun loaded onto the tank themselves before the Patton started moving back to the line.